2012 Small Jazz Guitars – Gretsch

Gretsch is best known today for guitars played by Rockabilly guitarists. Brian Setzer, the Reverend Horton Heat or the iconic Duane Eddie and Eddie Cochran. The best known Gretsch guitars have Bigsby Vibratos which takes them out of the running for my small jazz guitar series.

Thus it may come as a surprise that you can get a Gretsch guitar is 16 inch wide and doesn’t have a vibrato. Well you can, though there aren’t many in the current catalog.

Before I tell you about those guitars, I just want to mention that when I was in high school I was infatuated with the G6119 Chet Atkins Tennessee Rose™ . It is a 16″ wide guitar but it has the Bigsby Vibrato. So it can’t be in this survey. Still, I always liked the guitar. You can get it both with real “f” holes and painted “f” holes to reduce feedback.

G6118 Anniversary™

The Anniversary is, as far as I can tell, only available in green. This is the same as I remember when I was young and wanted the Tennessee Rose. Back then I would have wanted the Anniversary, but I couldn’t stand the color. But maybe you think it’s cool.

The top back and sides are made from laminated maple. It has an ebony fingerboard and dual FiterTron™ pickups. Filterton’s are humbuckers.

This Synchromatic is available as shown in Black or a natural finish. The back and sides are laminated maple while the top is laminated spruce. It has a rosewood bridge and one single coil pickup. It looks very retro to me.

Image links to product page at Musician’s Friend

OK, if you’re reading this because you’re looking for a small jazz guitar that meets my criteria, don’t look below. Otherwise, here’s the Tennessee Rose™